


In the Pines

by Eisengrave



Category: Defense of the Ancients | Dota, Dota 2
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 10:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12033573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eisengrave/pseuds/Eisengrave
Summary: Inappropriate encounters seem to have become a favored pastime for the heroes battling in the War of the Ancients.Traxex doesn't think she'd ever fall into the category of fools that would choose to spend their time in such a way. Fortunately, the Ranger could not be more wrong.[Fic for Art exchange for Anjael!]





	In the Pines

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Anjael](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anjael/gifts).



It probably shouldn’t have gone this way. Right from the beginning of this entire war business, lines had been blurry. What began as a bitter conflict was now a recurring, awkward clash for their lives that somehow lost more meaning with each death. But in place of moral obligations to the ancient fragments holding them on the battlefield, there grew room for unusual acquaintances and connections.

Traxex could honestly say she’d met more strange creatures in the camps they populated after the battles than she’d ever seen in the forests. From monsters to ancient heroes, there was no shortage in the diversity of her comrades.

 

Having them at her side was even stranger. By nature and by comfort, she was a solitary fighter. On the field and off, she preferred to keep to herself, to stick to the shadows and the quiet. And yet, even there, she could rarely find moments to be alone. Some of her comrades were cheerful and relentless, like Lyralei and Aiushtha. Often times, they found her in the forest, and their company was hard to dismiss. So she tolerated it at first, and by now, she enjoyed it whilst it lasted.

But there was another type of company to be had besides chattering, sweet redheads in the trees, and that much was evident around the campsite. The lust for blood and battle and victory turned into something else here, and more often than once, she’d watched people disappear into tents, or shadows, for encounters with much less talk. 

They would return hours later, sated and glowing with satisfaction that needed no explanation. Sexual escapades had become a widespread hobby, apparently, and it left Traxex unimpressed. She was not interested in those types of acquaintances, and being hideous as she was, no one would be interested in her.  She was here with a mission and once it was concluded, she may return to her quiet forests and hide away her face once more.

At least, that’s how she used to think. That’s how it used to be.

 

What was happening beneath the lengthy cape billowing from her shoulders spoke of something else completely. Because among the creatures, the heroes, the gods, there’d been one who found her very interesting. Who, despite the wrongness of her features, the length of her body, had found her beautiful. Who had made a move despite her foreboding, silent nature.

And whose tongue was driving her towards madness as her mind lazily followed her own story.

 

“You just don’t get it, do you? It’s morally wrong, completely outside of your character.”

The angered voice belonged to the Anti-Mage, a surly fellow on the best of days. He was accompanied by his friend and fellow enemy to magic, the Silencer, who looked heavily put upon by the argument they were having as they strolled down the path together.

And, unfortunately, she was right out in the open. If only she’d worn her shadow amulet today...

 

“I don’t see how it is outside of anything. You don’t have a right to judge my decisions, Magina, they are my own and affect only myself and he.”

 

“Yes, and that way of thinking is a problem, because they do affect others. Just yesterday, I saw you withhold from a curse that would have killed him! I can’t believe you’re allowing this- Oh. Uhm.”

 

Magina cut himself off as he saw Traxex standing just a little off the path, her cape draped fully around her and brushing the floor. Her bow was leaning against a tree, her hood had fallen back from her face. And she wished the two would keep walking, because her body felt entirely too hot to be dealing any conversation at the moment.

 

Still. She had to keep it together.

 

“Anti-Mage, Silencer.” she nodded her head in greeting. They both had her respect, mostly, since they both excelled on the battlefield. But she surely wished they would vanish right now.

 

“Good day to thee.” Magina had mustered his stilted way of speech instead of resuming his normal conversation. Nortrom beside him sighed in vague defeat.

 

“Ranger. Are we disturbing your peace?”

 

_ Yes. _

 

“Not yet.” A straight face was hard to keep when the keen between her thighs was grinning like that and redoubling his efforts to melt her icy exterior. Damn that Sharpeye, he knew exactly that this was entirely inappropriate and he was pushing her for his own amusement.

 

“Perhaps thou could settle a discourse between this fool elf and I.”

Magina didn’t wait for her to deny his request and launched into an explanation, entirely forgetting to adjust his language. Clearly, he was passionate about the subject.

 

“Would you not agree that relations with the enemy in a conflict as heated as this war of ancients is absolutely reprehensible, no matter the intention? Would you not agree that tainting the divide between ourselves and our enemy is a foul thing to do that will besmirch one’s soul no matter how foolish your notion of romance is? Tis not even a factor! Romance! It is impossible with a being that has no soul and is filled to the brim with the most vile of magics?!”

Nortrom’s sigh grew louder and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

Traxex already knew what this was about, and she certainly didn’t hear the whispers in the trees. These whispers were so loud, she was tempted to silence the voices just so she might find some peace. Instead she found herself embroiled in an argument she cared nothing for, her breath hitching and her chest heaving as she tried not to make a lewd sound.

 

“Ranger, do not feel obliged to answer this-”

 

“No, Ranger, do! This is not a matter that just pertains to you, it affects all of us! You’re becoming a liability because of a stupid mage!”

 

“Mind your tongue, Magina.”

 

“I think you should mind yours, and where it strays when I’m not looki-”

 

“ _Ahhh_.”

 

Oh **gods**.

 

It was the worst way to interrupt an argument and something beside her thigh was suppressing a laugh as Traxex fought down the rising panic and avoided the wide eyes of Magina and Nortrom. Of course they were staring, she’d just moaned at them!

 

“...Are you alright?”

Silencer’s sharp blue eyes wandered the length of her body and Traxex wished for her hood to cover her face, which was surely turning a deeper shade of blue right now.

 

“I am...unwell, if you would excuse me, I cannot partake in your argument.”

 

“Of course.”

Another awkward pause and they looked at her expectantly, but it wasn’t as if she could  _ walk away _ right now.

“Right. Come on.”

 

Nortrom grabbed Magina by the gauntlet and pulled him along the path, his face disturbingly pointedly away from Traxex. She only checked what he’d seen after the pair disappeared from sight.  She was mildly horrified to realize that the cape had revealed another pair of legs beside her own, these stubby and short and most definitely belonging to Kardel. Whom she revealed with a flourish of dark cloth.

“They’ll know, you devious fool.”

 

Kardel’s face emerged, the grin on it devastatingly knowing and maybe a little charming.

“That’s what I was shootin’ for.”

 

Traxex inhaled deeply, prepared to break off this little entanglement and deal with her shame silently, but there were suddenly hands where they’d been a mouth before and any complaints she was about to voice were strangled by another treacherous moan. Instead, she directed a glare down at the cheeky visage of her lover.

"What are you doing? We should go somewhere more...quiet."

 

“I can’t let you go half-cocked.”

 

Of course not. Traxex let her eyes close as she threw the cape over her legs again.

 

_ Let us hope no one else comes by for a stroll tonight. _


End file.
